Control mechanism for metalworking machines



July 1943- I E. A. DOYLE ET AL 2,323,979

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ED RD INCKE AR UR KLLUET:

ATTORNEY July 13, 1943.

E. A. DOYLE ET AL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15. 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY INVENTORS EDMUND A. DOYLE EDWARD MEINCKE ARTHUR M. KELLER w .m E w? i July 13, 1943. E. A. DOYLE ETAL 2,323,979

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS EDMUND A. DQYLE EDWARD MEINCKE ARTHUR M. KELLER BY 12; M ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1943 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR METALWORK- ING MACHINES Edmund A. Doyle, Brooklyn, N. Y., and Edward Meincke, Scotch Plains, and Arthur M. Keller, Livingston, N. J., assignors to The Linde Air Products Company, a corporation of Ohio Application February 15, 1941,

7 Serial No. 378,999

14 Claims.

This invention relates to control mechanisms for positioning a metal working machine in an operative position with respect to a workpiece and more particularly to a synchronizing mechanism whereby the transverse position of a desurfacing machine is automatically varied in response to changes in the position of a roll table guide to accommodate different widths of slabs, blooms, plates, and the like.

In the casting of ingots and during the rolling of ferrous metal bodies, defects form on and in the surface of such bodies. In order to reduce the number of rejections of the finished steel products made therefrom, it is desirable that these defects be removed, Desurfacing machines have been successfully used for thermochemically removing relatively shallow layers of surface metal containing such defects from successive ferrous metal bodies, preferably while moving along a roll table, such as is employed in a steel mill for conveying th steel bodies from one roll stand to another. When successively desurfacing steel bodies, such as slabs, the widths of the successive bodies often may greatly vary which necessitates transverse adjustment of the desurfacing machine by manually controlled" means according to the width of each slab. Such adjustment causes a loss of time and increases the cost of the operation. Additionally, it is diflicult for the operator to accurately adjust such a machine particularly as th slab is customarily at a rolling temperature.

By the present invention there is provided a mechanism for quickly adjusting a desurfacing machine according to the width of the slab, and which will automatically transversely position the desurfacing head or heads of the machine in accordance with the adjustment of the roll table guide. The desurfacing head is thereby automatically positioned in an operative position adjacent the slab irrespective of the width of the slab. The mechanism according to the invention is described in connection with a desurfacing machine particularly adapted to remove surface metal from opposite sides of a slab, but the principles of the invention may be applied to other metal working machines such as flamecut-inq machines for transversely ..severing the body and to hot saws and similar apparatus employing a metal working tool.

Accord ngly. it is an object of this invention to provide a mechanism for adjusting a metal working machine, such as a desurfacing machine, a cutting machine, a hot saw. or similar apparatus, in accordance with the width of the slab; to

provide such a mechanism for adjusting the distance between the desurfacing heads of a desurfacing machine according to the width of the slab; to provide-such a mechanism for automatically transversely adjusting a metal working machine in response to the transverse movement of the roll table guide; and, to provide such a mechanism which is rugged and economical to manufacture.

These and other objects and novel features will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention, and shows a desurfacing machine installed in a roll table for successively conditioning ferrous metal bodies of widely different or of similar widths;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the cam and limit switch mechanism and the indicator mechanism for indicating the position of the desurfacing head;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the cam with portions of the apparatus broken away and is taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view partially in section, of the gear train connecting the motor shaft and guide screw whereby the guide is adjusted;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention; I

Fig. 6 is a schematic isometric view of another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. '7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the guide motor circuit;

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the cam and limit switches for adjusting the desurfacing machine along the transverse rails, shown in the open or neutral position; and

Fig. 9 is a schematic wiring diagram of the selfsynchronous motor transmitter and receiver shown in Fig. 5.

The metal working machine which is shown and described in connection with the present invention, is a desurfacing machine more particularly adapted for thermochemically removing relatively shallow layers of metal from the longitudinai edge or side surfaces of a steel body, such as a slab. The desurfacing machine may be of any suitable type, for example, of the type shown in the copending United States application, Serial No. 271,486 filed May 3, 1939, by J. H. Buck- 'nam, M. J. Harris, and A. J. Miller now Patent Referring to the drawings, the desurfacing machine M, may comprise two independent desurfacing units E and F. Each unit E and F is independently motor driven for movement along the overhead transverse ways or rails R and includes a desurfacing head H for applying both heating flames and a relatively wide oxidizing gas stream, such as oxygen, obliquely against a zone extending transversely of a side surface of the slab S. Each head H is preferably mounted on a suitable floating linkage so that each head may be moved through a limited displacement toward and away from the slab S and so that the head can follow the corresponding surface of a warped or deformed slab, all as shown in the previously mentioned Patent No. 2,295,523. The slab S is sup rted on a roll table conveyor C. The conveyor rollers 20 are connected through suitable gearing and a drive shaft to the usual roll table motor, as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, when the roll table motor is energized, the rollers 20 are rotated to longitudinally move the slab along the conveyor C and past the units E and F and the heads H, thereby ffecting relative movement between the desurfacing gas streams and the slab along the surfaces for thermochemically removing therefrom surface metal containing defects.

The roll table conveyor C includes guides 2|,

'a predetermined distance in a direction transversely 01' the direction of slab movement to adjust the distance between guides 2| and 22 according to the width of the slab S. The arm 23 aids in forcing or guiding the slab into the correct position and into alignment with the guides.

Adjacent to the roll table C, there is a suitable supporting foundation 28 on which is mounted mechanism for adjusting the guide 22. A motor 29 is mounted on the foundation 26 and is connected through a short shaft 3| to a gear train in the housing 32. A rod 33 is attached to the bar 26 and extends into the housing 32 and at least a portion of the rod 33 is threaded for operative engagement with a nut 36. The outer peripheral portion of nut 36 is formed with worm gear teeth for engagement with worm 36 mount- 29 is energized the rods 33 and 33 and the at-.

tached guide bar 26 are moved transversely of the roll table to vary the distance between the roll table guides 2| and 22.

Also, to the foundation 28, there is fastened a bracket 39 which is attached to and supports an indicator such as a dial 40. A short shaft 42 operatively connects the shaft 35 with the pointer 45, so that when the motor 29 is energized to move the guide bar 26, the pointer 46 is moved through an are proportional in magnitude to the movement of bar 26. The dial 46 therefore may have a scale calibrated in any suitable increments, preferably for visually indicating to the operator the distance between the guides 2| and 22, or the dlsrmay be so callbrated as to indicate the distance of the bar 26 from the center of the roll table conveyor C.

Regardless of the width of slab S, the edge of the slab which is adjacent the guide 2| is at a substantially constant distance from the center of the roll table, and therefore the unit F, when in the operative position, remain fixed at such position.

The transverse or lateral operative position of the desurfacing unit E must change whenever the width of the slab varies. A shaft 46 is operatively connected to-the gearing in housing 36 so as to rotate with shafts 3| and 35. Shaft 46 is connected through a transmission drive, such as bevel gearing 41 to a shaft 49 which is connected through bevel gearing 50 to a vertical shaft 62. Shaft 52 is operatively connected through suitable gearing in the housing 53 to a long lead screw 54. The lead screw threadediy engages a nut 55 attached to .a movable positioning device or positioner such as a limit switch actuator or cam 51. The cam-supporting plate 56 has two pairs of upper and lower grooved rollers 68 rotatably attached thereto for engaging upper and lower rails 59 which are attached to the upper and lower flanges respectively of one of the main supporting girders 66. The lead screw 64 and the gearing in housing 53 are so proportioned that when the motor 29 is energized. the bar 26 and the cam 6'! are simultaneously moved transversely through equal distances.

The unit E is independently motor driven and in the electrical circuit of this motor D, diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8, there are interposed two limit switches 62 and 63 which are mounted on the plate 6| extending outwardly from the carriage of unit E (Figs. 2 and 3). This electrical circuit for the drive motor D of the unit E will later be described in more detail. The cam 61 has two sloping surfaces 64 and 65 which are engaged by arms 66 and 61 of limit switches 62 and 63, respectively. When the cam 61 is moved toward the left along with the guide bar 26, the cam surface 64 depresses arm 66 and operates the limit switch 62 to energize the drive motor D and cause the unit E to also move to the left. Similarly, when cam 51 is moved to the right, the cam surface 65 depresses arm 61 and limit switch 63 is operated to energize the motor and cause unit E to move toward the right. If for any reason the unit E moves too far in either direction the other limit switch is operated to cause the unit to return to the desired neutral position shown in Fig. 3. I

A second indicating means K may be employed for indicating the position of the unit E as a check on the guide indicating means. An indicator dial 63 may be mounted by means of bracket 69 on the carriage of the desurfacing unit E. The indicator hands H are connected through suitable shafts and gearing, partially shown at 12, to a spur gear I3 which engages a long rack 14 attached to one of the girders 66. When the unit E moves along the rails R, the hands II are moved in a corresponding direction around the calibrated dial 66 to visually indicate the position of the desurfacing unit.

Referring more particularly to Fig. '7 which diagrammatically shows the electrical circuit for the reversible motor 29, the motor 29 may be a series motor with armature and field connected in series so that the motor may readily be caused to rotate in either direction. The motor 29 is controlled by a three-position switch I6, having an off position, forward contacts [I and I2, and

reverse contacts TI and r2. With the switch 18 in the forward position, the motor circuit is from line L2, through the motor armature l'l, contact ,fl, the motor field l8, and switch contact ,f2 to the other line LI With the switch 16 in the reverse position, the motor circuit is from line L2, the motor armature TI, switch contact r2, the motor field l8 and switch contact TI to line Ll.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 8 which diagrammatically shows the electrical circuit for the unit E driving motor D, as the arm 66 or 61 of one or the other limit switches 62 or 63 is moved downwardly by the cam 51 from the position shown, the motor field is connected in series with the armature to cause the motor to rotate in the desired direction. The limit switch 62 is provided with two normally open contacts OI, O2 and two normally closed contacts Cl, C2 and the limit switch 63 has two normally open contacts 03, O4 and two normally closed contacts C3, .04. When the switch I6 is moved to the forward position from the vertical position, shown in Fig. 7, to energize the motor 29, the guide bar 28 and cam 51 are simultaneously moved substantially equal distances toward the left. As the cam moves leftward from the neutral position, the cam surface 64 depresses the arm 88 of the limit switch 62 and opens the normally closed contacts CI, C2 and closes the normally open contacts OI, O2, to energize the motor of the unit E and cause this unit to move toward the left until the parts again occupy the neutral position. When contacts Ol, 02 are closed the circuit is completed from line L4, through line 80, the motor field, line 8|, contacts C3, C4, line 82, and the motor armature to L3. Similarly when the motor 29 is so energized as to move the bar 26 and cam 51 toward the right, the cam 51 depresses arm 81 and opens the normally closed contacts C3, C4 and closes the normally open contacts O3, 04. With contacts 03, O4 closed, the circuit is completed from line L4, through line 83, line 8|, the motor field, line 80, contacts Cl, C2, line 85, and the motor armature to line L3, thus, energizing the motor D which rotates in the opposite direction to move the unit E toward the right, until the cam and switches again reach a neutral position.

It will be seen therefore that when the guide bar 26 is moved in either direction, the cam 51 and unit E move an equal distance in the same direction. When the guidebar is adjusted laterally according to the width of the slab, the desurfacing unit E is automatically similarly adjusted. If, when adjusting the unit E the unit overruns its position, the other limit switch is operated which reverses the drive motor and returns the unit E to the desired adjusted position.

Often it may be desirable to use the adjustable guide means 22 as a gauge or feeler in determining the location of at least one of the side faces of the workpiece. Especially for large bodies, the bar 26 instead of being used to force the body into the correct position may be used to gauge or measure the location of the body. With guide 22 in a withdrawn position the workpiece may be conveyed to a position on the roll table C adjacent the guide and the motor 29 energized to move the bar 26 transversely of the roll, table to a position adjacent to or in contact with the side of the workpiece. As previously described, the desurfacing unit is automatically adjusted substantially in unison with the bar 28. The foregoing procedure may be adopted in like man- I transmitter rotor 94 and the receiver rotor 95 v ner for gauging the position of the opposite side of the workpiece, for example, when the workpiece on the conveyor is spaced substantially from the guide 21, and corresponding adjustment of the head .F is desired.

Figs. 5 and 9 show a slightly modified form of the present invention wherein the lateral movements of the guide bar and the desurfacing unit are synchronized by electrical means. The other portions of this apparatus are similar to the corresponding portions of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1-3 and are referred to by the same reference numbers. Two self-synchronous devices of the type commonly known as Selsy-ns or Selsyn" devices are electrically connected to rotate in unison and to synchronize the lateral movement of bar 26 and cam 51. In place of shaft 48 shown in Fig. 1, a short shaft 86 extends into the gear housing 36, and is operatively connected to the shaft 35 and the rotor shaft of a self-synchronous motor transmitter 81. The transmitter 81 is electrically connected by cable 90 to a self-synchronous motor receiver 88 so that the transmitter 81 and the receiver 88 rotate in unison. The rotor shaft of receiver 88 is connected to the gearing in housing 53 so as to rotate the lead screw 54. The transmitter 81 and receiver 88 replace the shafts and gearing 46, 41, 49,50, and 52 as shown in Fig. l.

The wiring diagram of the two Selsy-n devices 81 and 88 is schematically shown in Fig. 9. The

are each provided with three-phase windings, electrically connected in parallel. The stators 92 and 93 are of a bi-polar construction having single phase excitation windings energized from a single alternating current source by lines L5 and L6. With the stators energized, any angular movement of the transmitter rotor is electrically transmitted to the receiver causing an equivalent angular movement of the receiver rotor. Since the transmitter rotor 94 is mechanically connected to the rotor of motor 29, rotation of the motor 29 to position the side guide 22 will rotate the transmitter rotor and this rotation, being electrically transmitted to the receiver rotor 95, will produce rotation of the lead screw 54 to shift the positioner including the cam 51 to position u-nit E in accordance with the new position of the guide bar 28.

In operation, guide bar 26 and unit E may be laterally adjusted with or without a slab between the guides 21 and 22. Normally, the distance between the guides and possibly the heads H is slightly greater than the width of the slab S.

Fig. 6 shows a slightly modified formaof the present invention that is similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. Pivotally mounted on the side of the roll table C is an arm I00 which includes a finger Ifll and a gear segment I02 meshing with a pinion I03. The pinion I83 is fastened to a larger spur gear I05 which meshes with a pinion I01 mounted on the outer end of the rotor shaft of a self-synchronous motor transmitter 81. A spring or other suitable means I08 is preferably provided for urging the finger Illl towards the left and against th side of the billet B, but such spring does not exert enough force to move the billet B transversely of the roll table. When a billet B or other body is moved along the roll table, the finger is moved in an are about its pivot axis in accordance with the width of the billet and particularly in accordance with the transverse position of the side surface to accurately gauge the transverse position of the side surface of the billet. The transmitter 81' is electrically connected through the cable 90' to the synchronous receiver 88 the same as the motor 81. Thus, the cam 51 and the desurfacing unit E are moved transversely of the conveyor in unison with the movement of the outer end of the finger I01. If the size of the workpiece varies or if the transverse position of any of the bodies moved along the roll table is shifted, the desurfaci-ng unit is automatically moved to correctly position the head. The principles of the invention are applicable in correlating the position of both heads E and F with the opposite faces of a centrally-located billet B.

Before a slab is desurfaced, the heads H are connected with a source of supply of gases at the correct pressures and the unit F is located along the rails R. at an operative position. The operator by means of switch 16 energizes motor 29 to laterally adjust the guide 2| until by observing the dial 40 it can be seen that the distance between the guides is the correct distance for the width of slab to be treated. When the bar 26 is moved laterally the unit E automaticallymoves along the rails R a corresponding distance. If desirable, the bar 26 may be adjusted after the slab S is in position on the roll table adjacent the guide means so that guide 22 acts as a gauge. After the roll table guides and the desurfacing units have been correctly adjusted, the roll table conveyor motor is momentarily energized to move the starting end of the slab S to a position substantially directly beneath the heads H, and the heads are then lowered to the work so that they are adjacent the longitudinal edge surfaces of the slab. It is not always necessary for the heads H to be in a raised position when not desurfacing. If the slab is not at the ignition temperature, the combustible gas mixture, such as oxygen and acetylene is turned on to apply preheating flames against the surface metal to heat at least a portion of it to the ignition temperature. The oxidizing gas, such as oxygen, is turned on to apply a sheet-likestream of oxygen against each of the surfaces to be conditioned and simultaneously the roll table motor is energized to move the slab longitudinally past the heads H to thermochemically remove relatively shallow layers of surfacemetal. After the slab is desurfaced, the gases are turned off and the heads may be raised. If the next body to be desurfaced is of the same width, the guide bar 26 and unit E need not be transversely adjusted but if the next body is of a different width the operator can readily transversely adjust. the guide bar 26 and unit E according to the width of the body.

When the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is used, the movement of the billet or workpiece along the conveyor into position to be desurfaced automatically adjusts the desurfacing unit E to the correct position. The operator does not need to operate a switch to cause movement of the guide.

Having shown and described this invention, it is obvious that changes and alterations could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is not limited to desurfacing machines and is not limited to the particular desurfacing machine shown and described, but, can be used with other metal working machines, such as the usual hot saw used in steel mills, for laterally adjusting the machine according to the width of the workpiece and for synchronizing the lateral adjustment of the machine with the lateral adjustment of the roll table guide.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for surface conditioning a rectangular metal body comprising a conveyor for longitudinally moving said body; mechanism for applying surface conditioning gas streams against opposite sides of said body, said mechanism including two heads adjustable toward and away from each other, and power-driven means for moving at least one of said heads toward and away from the other; transversely movable gauging means positioned along the path of movement of said body and adapted to be shifted transversely by said body in accordance with the width of said body between said sides; and control means operable by the movement of said gauging means for actuating said power-driven means until the separation distance between said heads is correlated with the position of said gauging means as determined by the width of 'motor-driven tool-supporting means including a transversely extending lead screw for transversely adjusting said tool according to the width of said workpiece; and control means connecting said guide member and said tool-supporting means for transversely adjusting said guide member and said tool substantially equal distances and substantially in unison.

3. Apparatus for surface conditioning a ferrous metal body comprising, in combination, a conveyor for supporting and longitudinally propelling such a body; stationary and movable conditioning heads for applying oxidizing gas streams obliquely against surface portions of said body when so propelled; ways extending transversely of the direction said body is propelled; a carriage mounted on said ways for supporting said movable head; stationary and movable body-locating guides associated with said conveyor; means for a transversely adjusting said movable guide to shift said body substantially against said stationary guide; and control means responsive to the position of said movable guide and cooperable with said movable carriage to locate said carriage along said ways in accordance with movement of said movable guide in either direction.

4. Apparatus for desurfacing a ferrous metal body comprising in combination, conveyor means for supporting and longitudinally propelling such a body; ways extending transversely of said conveyor; a desurfacing unit including a head for applying an oxidizing gas stream obliquely against said body and a motor-driven carriage supporting said head and mounted on said ways; a body-locating guide associated with said conveyor means for transversely positioning said body; power-actuated means for laterally adjusting said guide according to the width of said body; and control means regulated by said guide and operatively connecting said guide and said motor-driven carriage for automatically adjusting said unit along said ways to laterally position said head in an operative position relative to said body.

5. Metal working apparatus comprising means for supporting and longitudinally propelling a metal body; at least one metal conditioning device operable to treat a surface of said body; means for supporting said device for movement transversely with respect to said body to and from a desired operating position; guide means positioned along the path of movement of said body and ahead of said conditioning device for contacting a surface of said body; and an electrically-interlocked self-synchronous transmitter-receiver mechanism for automatically moving said conditioning device to said operating position in accordance with the transverse movement of said guide means.

6. Apparatus for surface conditioning a rectangular metal body such as a steel billet and comprising a conveyor for supporting and longitudinally propelling such a body; a transversely adjustable surface conditioning machine for conditioning a longitudinal surface of said body; a transversely movable member associated with said conveyor, said member being adapted to contact said longitudinal surface and being constructed and arranged to be moved transversely by said body during the longitudinal movement of said body in accordance with the transverse position of said surface; and electrically-interlocked self-synchronous motor transmission means for transversely adjusting said machine substantially in unison with the transverse movement of said member, whereby said machine 'is automatically maintained in an operative position relative to said surface.

7. Desurfacing apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor for supporting and longitudinally' propelling a ferrous metal body such as a steel billet; a transversely movable member adapted to be moved by the longitudinal movement of such a body in accordance with the transverse position of said body; supporting ways extending transversely of said conveyor; a motordriven desurfacing machine mounted on said ways for thermochemically removing surface metal from said body; a pair of limit switches interposed in the circuit of the desurfacing machine motor; a rotatable lead screw extending in a direction substantially parallel to said ways; a cam'mounted on said lead screw in an operative position relative to said switches and for movement in a direction substantially parallel to said ways; a self-synchronous motor transmitter; mechanism connecting said transmitter to said movable member and constructed and arranged so that the rotor of said transmitter is rotated by movement of said member and is rotated in a corresponding direction; and, mechanism for rotating said lead screw and including a selfsynchronous motor receiver, said transmitter and said receiver being electrically connected so as to operate in unison and move said cam substantially in unison with any movement of said member and said cam and said switches being constructed and arranged so that said desurfacing machine is moved substantially in unison with said member whereby said desurfacing machine is positioned in an operative position relative to said body. I

8. Metal working apparatus comprising a conveyor for supporting and longitudinally propelling a metal body relative to a metal-working tool; a transversely movable guide adapted to locate said body into a predetermined location transversely on said conveyor; means for moving .said guideinto a body-locating position; a toolsupporting carriage movable transversely of the movement of said body; power-driving means for said carriage; and interlocking control mechcarriage.

anism operable on said power-driving means by the movement of said guide to correlate the position of said carriage with the position of said guide.

9. Metal working apparatus comprising a conveyor for supporting and longitudinally propelling 'a metaLbody relative to a metal-working tool; a transversely movable guide adapted to locate said body into a predetermined location transversely on said conveyor; means for moving said guide into a body-locating position; a toolsupporting carriage movable transversely of .the movement of said body; power-driving means for said carriage; interlocking control mechanism operable on said power-driving means by the movement of said guide to correlate the position of said carriage with the position of said guide; and an indicator controlled by the position of said tool-supporting carriage, said indicator having a scale and pointer mechanism for denoting the transverse position of said tool-supporting 10. Metal working apparatus comprising a conveyor for supporting and longitudinally propelling a metal body relative to a metal-working tool; a transversely movable guide adapted to locate said body into a predetermined location transversely on said conveyor; means for moving said guide into a body-locating position; a toolsupporting carriage movable transversely of the movement of said body; power-driving means for said carriage; and interlocking control mechanism operable on said power-driving means by the movement of said guide to correlate the position of said carriage with the position of said guide, said control mechanism comprising a positioner, and connecting means extending between said guide and said positioner for shifting said positioner relatively to said carriage in synchronism with said guide, and means on said tool-supporting carriage cooperable with said positioner, said last means being operable on said power-driving means to shift said tool-supporting carriage into predetermined relation to said positioner.

11. Desurfacing apparatus comprising in combination means for supporting and propelling a ferrous metal body in a longitudinal direction; at least one desurfacing device including blowpipe means for thermochemically removing metal from a longitudinal surface of said body while so propelled; power-actuated means supporting said device for transverse movement to a desired operating position adjacent said surface; a transversely movable body-engaging member positioned along the longitudinal path of movement of said body a substantial distance ahead of said desurfacing device, said movable member being shiftable independently of said power-actuated means and toward said body to engage said surface; and control means responsive to movement of said member for automatically controlling said power-actuated means to move said desurfacing device to said operating position in accordance with the location of said member when abutting against said surface.

12. Apparatus for desurfacing a ferrous metal body comprising in combination, conveyor means for supporting and longitudinally propelling such a body; ways extending transversely of said conveyor; a desurfacing unit including a head for applying an oxidizing gas stream obliquely against said body and a motor-driven carriage a body-locating guide mounted on said conveyor means for transversely positioning said body; power-actuated means for laterally adjusting said-guide according to the width of said body; and control means regulated by said guide and operatively connecting said guide and said motor-driven carriage for automatically adjusting direction as to restore a predeterminednormal relation between said limit switches and said cam.

13. Apparatus for desuriacing a ferrous metal body comprising in combination, conveyor means for supporting and longitudinally-propelling such a body; ways extending transversely of said conveyor; a desuriacing unit including a head for applying an oxidizing gas stream obliquely against said body and a motor-driven carriage supporting said head and mounted, on said ways: a body-locating guide mounted on said conveyor means for transversely positioning said body; D wer-actuated means for laterally adjusting said guide according to the width of said body; and control means regulated by said guide and operatively connecting said guide and said motor-driven carriage for automatically, adjusting said unit along saidways to laterally position said head in an operative position relative to said body; said control means including a transversely movable cam, a pair 01' limit switches mounted on said carriage for normal open-circuit positioning with respect to said cam, and

means for transversely moving said cam in unison with said guide for closing either of said respective limit switches, said respective limit switches being operative on said motor-driven carriage to control the movement 01' said carriage along said ways in accordance with the movement of said guide to restore said normal open-circuit relation between said limit switches and said cam.

14. Apparatus for desuri'acing a ierrous metal body comprising in combination, conveyor means for supporting and longitudinally propelling such a body; ways extending transversely of said conveyor; a desurfacing unit including a head for applying an oxidizing gas stream obliquely against said body and a motor-driven carriage supporting said head and mounted on said ways; a body-locating guide mounted on said conveyor means for transversely positioning said body: power-actuated means for laterally adjusting said guide according to the width of said body; and control means regulated by said guide and operatively connecting said guide and said motordriven carriage for automatically adjusting said unit along said ways to laterally position said head in an operative position relative to said body; said control means comprising a pair of 'limit switches and a switch actuator operatively connected between said carriage and said ways, and a self-synchronous electrically-interlocked transmission mechanism extending from said guide and adapted to vary the adjustable relation between said limit switches and said switchactuator in accordance with the movement oi said guide, said respective limit switches being operative by said actuator to control said motordriven carriage i'or propelling said carriage for such a distance and in such a direction as to restore a predetermined normal relation between said limit switches and said actuator.

EDMUND A. DOYLE. EDWARD MEINCKE. ARTHUR H. KELLER. 

